REMARKS BY PRESIDENT CLINTON
AND PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN OF RUSSIA
AT ARRIVAL CEREMONY
The South Lawn

10:15 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT CLINTON: President and Mrs. Yeltsin, members
of the Russian delegation, distinguished guests. On behalf of the
American people, it is my great honor to welcome President Boris
Nikolayevich Yeltsin and Mrs. Naina Yeltsin to Washington for this
state visit.

Mr. President, it wasn't so long ago that Russian
American summits were moments of high drama, and sometimes
disappointing results. The people of our countries and from around
the world watched nervously as their leaders met in a heavy
atmosphere of mutual suspicion and fear. The fate of the world
seemed to hang in the balance of those encounters. And success was
defined as the avoidance of confrontation or crisis.

Our moment is quite different, but no less important.
For these are exciting times, times of great opportunity. And we are
cooperating to seize them for the good of all Russians, all Americans
and all the people of the world.

Today we meet not as adversaries, but as partners in the
quest for a more prosperous and a more peaceful planet. In so many
areas, our interests no longer conflict, they coincide. And where we
do disagree, we can discuss our differences in a climate of warm
peace, not cold war.

The Russian American relationship is at last,
remarkably, a normal one -- full of real accomplishments and genuine
promise. Mr. President, this evolution in our relations is due in no
small part to the peaceful revolution you are leading in Russia, one
that the United States has fully supported. Your steadfastness and
courage in the face of difficult odds have inspired millions of
Americans.

And you have proved the pessimists wrong. Far from
falling backward, Russia, under your leadership, is coming together
and moving forward. Your efforts, of course, could not be successful
if you did not have the support of a great and courageous people.
Here in America, we have known the trials and tribulations of
history; but the Russian people have survived invasions and wars,
deprivation and dictatorship. And through it all, the Russians have
endured, producing uplifting poetry and songs, great novels and
films, ingenious science and path-breaking technology. Now, the free
and open society you are building will allow the Russian people
finally to reach their full potential. Russia's greatest hours lie
before her.

Mr. President, we are privileged to share a great
moment, an historic opportunity. When we met in Vancouver over 18
months ago, and again in Moscow last January, we vowed to seize that
opportunity by creating and building upon a new partnership between
our two nations, a partnership that works. And we have kept that
commitment.

As a result, our missiles no longer target each other's
people for destruction; instead they are being dismantled. Our
soldiers no longer face each other as deadly adversaries; instead,
they work together as partners for peace. Young Russians and
Americans no longer learn to be fearful and mistrustful of each
other; instead they study together in record numbers. Trade between
our countries is no longer stifled by export controls and
prohibitions; instead, it is growing every day to the benefit of both
our peoples.

In short, our nations are growing closer together,
replacing suspicion and fear with trust and cooperation. Mr.
President, this summit of ours, unlike its predecessors, is about the
future -- a future in which we will strive to integrate Russia and
the West, to build a new century of peace in Europe, and the future
of shared responsibility that comes with vast territory, large
populations, great power and democratic values. To use our combined
influence and authority for the good of the world beyond our borders.

Together, we have agreed to safeguard nuclear materials
and to shut down plutonium production reactors. Together, with
Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus we will rid your region of thousands
of nuclear warheads. Together, we must ensure that all the new
independent states achieve their rightful place as strong and
independent nations in Europe, able to chart their own destinies.
For that reason, all Americans rejoiced and deeply respected your
decision to withdraw your troops from the Baltic nations.

Together, we are working to bring peace to Bosnia, to
the Middle East, to Nagorno-Karabakh. Together, we will build an
international space station and explore the solar system. Together,
we will carry the fight against transnational problems, like
terrorism, environmental degradation and organized crime. Together,
we can -- and we will -- make a difference not only for our own
people, but also for men, women and children all around the world.

Mr. President, it is an honor to have you with us.
Together, we have done well in laying the foundation of trust and
security between our two peoples. Now, let us build on it to secure
a future of peace.

I am very happy to meet America once again. I am
grateful to you, Mr. President, for the kind words spoken about
Russia and the Russians and about myself. People in my country also
show great affection toward, and a never-ending interest in the
United States of America. On behalf of the Russian people, I extend
my cordial greetings to you and, in your person, to all Americans.
It is fair to say that the United States is a strong partner and not
an easy one to deal with; just like Russia. But I think -- and I
believe my colleague, Bill Clinton will agree with me -- that this
makes it all the more exciting and meaningful for the two countries
to join hands.

The dialogue between the Russian and American Presidents
has begun in earnest. I am referring to my speech before the United
Nations General Assembly yesterday. And I have found your speech
very exciting, too. Evidently, our thoughts and ideas have a lot in
common, which is only natural, for we are two like-minded
individuals, in that we are both equally committed to values of
democracy and ideals of liberty. And we strive to provide nations of
the earth with decent living and a future of peace and security. And
we seek to remove all barriers blocking the equitable and mutually
beneficial cooperation between Russia and the United States in order
to meet the interests of the two countries, and those of the world
Community of Nations.

Those are very lofty goals to attain. I attach crucial
importance to Russia's and America's willingness to address and
resolve problems that still exist, and to gently put in place a longlasting
mechanism of our bilateral ties oriented toward the 21st
century. We can, and indeed must, render our collaboration dynamic,
and make it more effective in the economic sector and coordinate our
efforts more closely on the international scene. I firmly believe
that the nations of Russia and America and the nations of the world
will only benefit from that.

We in Russia hold in high esteem your efforts at and
your contribution, Mr. President, to sustaining the good relations
between the two countries, have warm memories of the visit you paid
to Russia last winter, and of the meetings and talks that followed.
They were invariably imbued with profound understanding and trust and
they proved productive. It is precisely for this reason that I look
optimistically to the future of the Russian-American relations.

We have two days of talks, meetings and discussions in
store for us here in Washington, D.C. Some people in the world and
some people in Russia say that our dialogue with Bill Clinton this
time will prove hard and will show no results. I would like to state
explicitly for you and for the entire world community that this
dialogue we are going to have will make great progress.

Once again, I would like to thank you, Mr. President,
and Mrs. Clinton and all those present here for your warm
hospitality. And I would to thank the military officers present
here, too. Thank you very much.